César nominations announced

A Very Long Engagement, the first world war drama starring Amélie's Audrey Tautou, is the favourite to sweep the board at this year's César awards after being nominated for twelve gongs yesterday.

The latest collaboration between Tautou and Amélie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet is up for, among others, best director, best actress and best script. Ironically, it is also nominated for best French film, even though it was classified as a non-French film last month due to it being funded by a US company.

A Very Long Engagement could also pick up a best foreign film Oscar nomination today, as it was one of two of France's official submissions to the American award. The other film presented to the Oscars is The Chorus, a film about a choir of boys, which became a runaway hit across the Channel and boosted the membership of male singing groups across the country.

The Chorus is also featuring strongly in this year's Césars: it is up for eight gongs, including best French film, best actor, best director and best script.

Another contender for César glory is the police thriller 36, Quai des Orfèvres, a self-confessed take on Michael Mann's Heat. The film pairs up the French equivalent to Robet De Niro and Al Pacino - Gérard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil - as rival cops. It received eight nominations.

The only rosbif on show this year is Ken Loach, up for best EU film for Ae Fond Kiss (renamed in English Just a Kiss).